Utilizing Role-Playing in Performance Improvement Training

Here's why most reps (and I'll even say most managers) hate role plays. It's because they've been done the wrong way for so long. How most role play sessions go. 1. There is no prep. Rep doesn't know what they are working on. 2. It's not a real account/name/situation they are practicing (I messed this up for YEARS my teams pitched to superbizz for like a decade) 3. It's the full call which not only doesn't full count as practice but even worse... 4. Only 1 repetition. They only get to do it once. 5. Then there is a TON of feedback given, like waaaaaay to much feedback given. Most of it negative or areas to improve. 6. They never actually get to apply that feedback in practice, they are sent out into the game again. 7. BONUS - It's done in front of a large group peers (hot seats anyone) - that is not practice, that's a performance. -- So yeah... No wonder reps and managers dont like practice. What's funny is a very large (not all mind you) but very large % of sales people played a sport or instrument going up. Think about how THOSE practices were run and you can improve your sales practice immenselye. Structured - Set time. Set place. Scenario Based - Pick real scenarios and situtations. SKILL Based - What skill are you working on (the call is not the skill) For UPCOMING games/performances - Pick a a call coming up/an account they are targeting. Chunked - Skills and Drills - Just the disco questions, JUST 2 objections. Short Punchy Feedback - More doing, less talking. - That was good! Do it again, try this! High Energy - This is key! HIGH Repetition - When chunking you can get 4-5 (often times more) repetitions in that same session. THAT is how you practice. That is how you actually can improve skills quickly. Implement that and not only does practice get better... But so do your people!

Founders, role playing feels awkward. But so does losing a deal your team could’ve won. Role playing is probably the single most effective exercise you can do as a salesperson. It feels a bit awkward at first, but that disappears quickly as your teammates join in and you start to see the results. Sales role playing is like a baseball player taking batting practice, an actor going through dress rehearsal or a winner practicing their acceptance speech. Role playing gives you the opportunity to make (and eliminate) mistakes before the “live event.” You never want to be in front of, or on the telephone with, a prospect or customer and not be prepared. You can role play any sales situation. Role playing is particularly effective when going through select deals with your peers and/or your sales manager. Pick an account you want to close or where you want to help move the buying process along. Discuss the strategy and then have someone else play the role of your prospect. Go through the meeting just like you would with your prospect. If you stumble just keep going. One of the benefits of role playing in a group is that you can have multiple prospects firing questions at you from multiple points of view. It always amazes me how two people can be presented with the same information and come up with different interpretations and/or questions. Take advantage of that phenomenon. Another benefit (mostly for the sales manager) of role playing in groups is that it keeps your sales presentations consistent. You may have multi-call deals where the prospect ends up talking to multiple people in the sales organization. It always gives the prospect confidence when they hear a consistent message. At the end of the role play discuss how the “call” went, make any corrections as needed and do it again. You will be amazed how this simple exercise will give you additional insight into your deal, put you more at ease and fill you with confidence. 📌Tip: Record your role-playing sessions. Reviewing these really helps accelerate the learning and acceptance process. 📍Role playing is just one step in building a great sales team. If you're ready to discuss strategy on building your dream team, schedule an introductory call. My scheduling link is in my About section.

🧠 What if you could rehearse every tough conversation before it actually happens? From donor meetings, to board presentations, to sales calls, to asking a boss for a raise, to a conversation with your child about a difficult topic, GenAI can play the skeptic so you show up ready. 🎯 I had the pleasure of working with a team of major gift officers for a nonprofit who were prepping for a first meeting with a high-capacity prospect. They had done the research, but were nervous about how to handle tricky and unexpected questions. They uploaded to their GenAI, the person's LinkedIn profile, publicly available information about the person and articles the person had written. Then they prompted: ➡️ “Act like <Donor Name> who is passionate about education but skeptical of overhead spending. Please ask thoughtful and challenging questions, share opinions, and react like a real donor would. Feel free to include both philanthropic and non-philanthropic interests. I will respond with my real answers, and you will continue in character.” The AI played the part, asking about impact metrics, financial transparency, and the long-term vision of the campaign. The team said it asked questions they had never been asked before and the donor ended up asking some of those questions. It was not just practice, it was prep *at a whole new level.* 🧑💼💬 💡 This week’s tip for GenAI beginners: Use GenAI to roleplay real-world conversations. Try prompts like: 🧑💼 Act like a skeptical procurement manager at a Fortune 500 company evaluating our SaaS solution. Ask pointed questions about ROI, data security, and long-term viability. → Perfect for sales engineers, AEs, or founders prepping for B2B demos. 📈 Roleplay as my VP of Sales who is worried about Q3 pipeline health. Challenge my forecast and ask for backup plans. → Great for mid-level managers prepping for leadership syncs. 🎤 Act like a conference panel moderator grilling me on the risks of AI in customer service. Ask challenging questions. → Ideal for thought leaders or execs prepping for public speaking. 👨👧 Act like my teenager who just asked why I am always working. Be real. Emotional. Maybe a little sarcastic. Help me practice responding with empathy. → A powerful reminder that AI is not just for work. 📊 Why this matters: Salesforce recently found that 83% of sales teams using AI saw revenue growth this year. Another recent Salesforce study showed that GenAI assistants boosted productivity by ~15%, with the biggest gains for less experienced team members, demonstrating that simulation accelerates learning. ✅ **Takeaways:** Roleplaying with GenAI builds fluency, empathy, and confidence. 🧠 You will uncover weak spots in your message, before your audience does. GenAI helps you hear what your audience *might* say, so you are ready when they *do.* What is the one conversation you wish you could rehearse before having it? Could GenAI help you get it right?

One team I worked with increased their discovery to demo conversion by 40% in just 30 days with consistent role playing. But… Before I started working with them, they used to HATE it! Here’s what their sales leader said: "Marcus, my team hates it. It feels awkward and forced. Plus, my top performers don't need it." Here's the exact framework I implemented that transformed their performance (and changed their minds): 1️⃣ Make it unexpected Don't announce who's going next in your meetings This keeps EVERYONE engaged and prepared Your reps should be slightly uncomfortable (that's where growth happens) 2️⃣ Include your stars: Make sure to also pick your top performers This shows the team that EVERYONE needs practice It creates psychological safety for less experienced reps It prevents the "I'm-too-good-for-this" mentality 3️⃣ Make it specific: Don't use generic scenarios ("sell me this pen") Focus on REAL objections your team faces daily Target specific stages of your sales process Address actual deals they're working on 4️⃣ Keep it brief: 3-5 minutes per role-play Immediate, actionable feedback Recognize what they did well and then.. One or two specific improvements to focus on 5️⃣ Create a feedback culture: Have peers provide feedback too Focus on what could be improved, not what was "wrong" Document common challenges for future training Celebrate improvement openly This worked so well that even their top performer came to me and said: "I honestly thought I was too good for this, but you caught me off guard in that role-play and I realized I was leaving money on the table." The reality is simple: every professional athlete still practices fundamentals daily. Every world class musician still practices scales. Your sales team needs the same discipline. One sales leader told me: "I was shocked at how quickly our conversations improved. My team went from dreading role-plays to actually requesting them before big meetings." — Hey sales leaders… want to top this off with a 3 step blueprint to running the PERFECT sales meeting? Go here: https://lnkd.in/gtkFi9CK